Jamaica bay house barge

Kairu House is a fun and experimental floating home situated in Jamaica Bay, off NYC’s Rockaway peninsula. The home is composed of two 40’ high-cube shipping containers, cut in half on a diagonal and stacked to create a two-story house. This structure sits on two steel sectional barges welded together to create one barge and platform for the house.  The goal of the project was to build a resilient, sustainable residence that responded to the needs of the environment but didn’t sacrifice the comforts of modern living.

The 470 square foot interior contains the bedroom, bathroom, and living space on the first floor, with the kitchen and dining on the second floor alongside two deck spaces to maximize the scenic views of the bay. The house features sapele wood exterior cladding, flooring, and detailing, as well as maple plywood wall cladding. Other highlights include a custom steel-framed front door and steel stair, salvaged doors repurposed as awning windows, a stone bathroom sink, black granite kitchen counters, and a handmade tile kitchen backsplash. 

This project was featured in Architectural Digest/Clever and Inhabitat.